styling family photos

It's that time of year again, when mothers everywhere are forcing their family out into a field to snap a coveted photo for holiday cards. If you are anything like my family, there's a lot of whining leading up to it, arguing over who wants to wear what, and then utter chaos during the actual session which leaves me wondering if we actually got a shot where the majority of of family is even looking at the photo. Even with all of this, we've always loved our family photos and they are treasured snapshots.

Maybe you have the family photo game locked down. Maybe you are like us and it's a bit of a struggle bus. Regardless of where you sit, there are definitely some take-aways that I recommend to everyone when they are going down this rabbit hole.

+ Be Authentic - whether that applies to what you choose to wear, the location of your photos, or how you behave during the shoot. You want your photos to be representative of you and your family.

+ Be Comfortable - trust me, now is not the time to put on something that you are going to be tugging at while carrying your children or chasing them around. Your lack of comfort will show up in the photos.

+ Hire a professional & do your research - seek out someone's work that you like & hire someone who you are comfortable with. These days everyone with a camera can be a photographer. In my opinion (and experience), it's always spending a little more to have someone who is a professional photographer take your photos.

+ Have fun - It definitely translates in your photos. Bring items that mean something to you and your family. We have photos with our son and his favorite stuffed animal every year which are some of my favorite images. Also, bring snacks. Never underestimate the power of bribery snacks.

Be sure to check back next week for my go-to picks for cards with Minted and a little something-something for you all.